The below was an email I sent to Mary, the Owner of Goddard in Jamison. I was told in July that upon my twins both walking they would immediately go into Toddler 1 class. They walked in early August. By Mid-Sept I asked Mary, Front Office and were not getting transitioned and was told the Toddler 1 class was full (and the sign out front stated that open enrollment just had happened). There were 2 toddlers ahead of my kids that had been walking many months before mine both were 15-16 months... so the Infant Room was now a Toddler/ Infant room. Miss Alex and Miss Diane went WAY over and above to do everything in their power to stimulate and teach my children but with many infants to tend too, it was tough and everyone felt the affects. The Toddlers were not allowed to roam because infants were on the floor and they could hurt them. When they were allowed to roam then the infants had to be put up and away as to not get hurt. In the meantime other toddlers younger than the ones in the infant class were playing outside, having nap time, getting taught in a class environment, my kids were stuck with crying infants inside all day long. I recently went to another Goddard and enrolled my children. WOW! In just a couple weeks my kids are doing amazing, they play outside, have a set nap time, and a set challenging and amazing curriculum. The 1st week they spoke their 1st word and was pointing to colors and objects. I asked some other Mom's and was told that this Goddard (Mary & Wayne) are known around the area to take outside applicants and fill classes, even though kids that are already enrolled need to be advanced. 3 people at 1 local party told me this. Read my email below that I sent to Mary the owner. Just to be clear the Teachers in the Infant room are amazing and deal with what they have to deal with, it's the owner who should be ashamed. Quite frankly, I am surprised they stay...
Mary- I have been asking when my kids would be advanced and you said they needed more time, now they are both walking full bore as of Sept 1st and I have yet to hear anything from you regarding their advancement.
The reason we chose a Goddard Education was to keep our kids more advanced and ahead of schedule, which is what you told us you were guaranteeing when we signed up. Right now they NEED a strict schedule, outside time, scheduled quiet/ nap time, being with other kids who are Toddlers & challenging activities. Being in the infant room they are not able to move around as much as to not disturb the infants AND they can't get a good nap because of babies crying. Also, kids deserve to be outside 2X per day which happens in the Toddler Class. As it is now, if Diane has the ability she is able to take them out for a 30 min shot here and there throughout the week. I kept track last week, it was 1X. If they are held back 3-4 months per class and not advanced properly as they keep growing older, then by the time they get to Kindergarten they will collectively be behind.
Please understand that Ms. Diane & Ms. Alex are amazing! My kids LOVE them and when I walk in they are wanting to immediately go to both of them. Both Diane and Alex are VERY loving, supportive, give lots of activities, and do everything to keep the current Toddlers in the class happy which is VERY challenging given the amount of babies they also have. You told me upon starting that her class was an "Infant Class", not a Toddler Class, so not sure why she even has Toddler's currently. The sad part is that there are 2 toddlers MORE advanced and older in the Infant Room, which concerns me even more as my 2 are behind them as the other two were walking late July/ Early August and should have been moved up months ago. I am going to assume that with open enrollment you filled the Toddler 1 class. Otherwise I think it would be easy to move them up. Having said that, not keeping slots open for current enrollees is not the way to put the kids parents who are already committed to Goddard 1st. And I see this as an on-going issue with how you run your business.
Keeping our 2 Toddlers who are now walking, in the infant room with no affirmation of when they will be advanced to Toddler 1 class, and your demeaning attitude when I did go into your office and simply ask to please reply to my email, plus the way you run your school, I have decided to pull my kids out of Goddard.
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